Btw, it's taken a while, but I am righteously tiddled off. I might launch a crusade (apologies to my Muslim followers, sensitive term!) to get some answers, or get my f**king job back, or let the world know what's REALLY going on on the medical side of the FIA. Understand this: I am NOT bitter or sad. I am seriously angry. And that's bad. Not sure how or when, but there's dark clouds a-gatherin'. This is gonna be a all hail the mods blast!

"he is loyal, generous and straight up. I would (almost) take a bullet for him. Not quite, but almost."

So his sacking has clearly come from the FIA, but we knew that anyway. Interestingly, although prof Sid and Max are meant to have got on (as far as the public line goes), Max apparently kept trying to get rid of him. A couple of things have been mentioned since his death, most compellingly Nigel Roebuck saying if Sid was preoccupied with anything, it was Max trying to get rid of him (words to that effect).

_________________Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?-Epicurus

Strange situation, no real reason was given to them not extending his contract usually in a position such as his you would stay until you felt you were done or something major went wrong which it hasn't.

Bit of an unprofessional donkey, or at least he seems to be. Bitching on twitter about your employer just makes you seem stupid.

I hear that, its very unprofessional.

Can you be unprofessional if you don't have a job?

I agree though, it makes him look petty and bitter. These tweets have made me wonder if he's a bit of a tool and that's why the FIA have sacked him. But also if there really is something properly outrageous going on that we don't know about.

_________________Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?-Epicurus

does an employer actually have to give a reason why a contract is not being renewed?

Does all seem a bit weird though, but you have to wonder about his motives. After all if something is up at FIA level why only break cover after his contract wasn't renewed? Surely as a professional worried about peoples health and safety he would have genuine concerns he would want public for the safety of the competitors.

Why does he say get his job back OR let the world know. Surely if something was really up you would just say chocolate fudge cake it and let people know what was going on? OR is he waiting on the autobiography

I knew it wasn't Bernie. This sounds more like politics within FIA and I hate politics. I like and respect Jean Todt, but he seriously did something strange here. Drivers rely on doctor to save their lives. You can't just replace the doctor.

Hartstein was Watkins' protege, was he not? If Max were still around I could understand Hartstein being given the boot - see the reference to Roebuck's article above - but there's no reason to not renew his contract that I can see - quite the opposite, given the first four words of this post.

Whatever's going on, we need an explanation.

_________________Organiser of the single most low-tech Robot Wars tournament in history, PM for details!

I think the FIA bought the HRT cars to use as the safety and medical cars for the 2013 season. As standard, Karthikeyan came with a HRT, still strapped in and ready to drive in 2013. The FIA then decided he was a cheaper option.

Gary must have been absolutely outraged by this decision. It's understandable though, if your current tools are replaced by inferior ones.

Hartstein was Watkins' protege, was he not? If Max were still around I could understand Hartstein being given the boot - see the reference to Roebuck's article above - but there's no reason to not renew his contract that I can see - quite the opposite, given the first four words of this post.

Whatever's going on, we need an explanation.

We don't need any explaination. The Doc might but we don't. What the FIA do in terms of sacking their staff has no business of ours, just like if our employer sacked us it would be of no interest to the general public.

Personally he just sounds bitter and a bit egotistical and that alone may have been what cost him his job, maybe got too big for his boots with someone who mattered. He should seek an answer privately, not dragging into the public domain knowing we'll all just paint the FIA as the bad guys.

Its been awhile since the announcement was made. Perhaps he HAS been seeking the answer privately. Perhaps he's been let go because he was making a big stink about a serious issue? I'll wait to hear what the situation is before judging.

I'd love to know what the whole story is here, but I guess the FiA won't tell him privately so he has attempted to goad them into an answer by stirring up some media coverage about it. I'd be surprised if it worked but worth a shot if it is what has occurred.

Its been awhile since the announcement was made. Perhaps he HAS been seeking the answer privately. Perhaps he's been let go because he was making a big stink about a serious issue? I'll wait to hear what the situation is before judging.

Hence I feel we have a right to know what's going on.

_________________Organiser of the single most low-tech Robot Wars tournament in history, PM for details!

Its been awhile since the announcement was made. Perhaps he HAS been seeking the answer privately. Perhaps he's been let go because he was making a big stink about a serious issue? I'll wait to hear what the situation is before judging.

Me too, it's possible he was keeping quiet earlier on the understanding that the serious issue would be resolved. Who knows. Could be as simple as a personality difference and a clash of egos. Not fair for a man of his experience that has the support of the drivers, but wouldn't be the first time somebody has been fired legally but unfairly. Happens everyday.

_________________"Jean Alesi is using the Maginot Line policy-You shall not pass!"-Murray Walker

Its been awhile since the announcement was made. Perhaps he HAS been seeking the answer privately. Perhaps he's been let go because he was making a big stink about a serious issue? I'll wait to hear what the situation is before judging.

Can't see any sign of a followup so presumably either the GPDA got the answers they were seeking from the FIA (don't laugh) or nothing's changed.

I think whether or not we have a right to expect an explanation is debatable and probably moot anyway. Due to the nature of Hartstein's responsibilities, we all have a vested interest in his role being performed properly. If this were a commissioner, bureaucrat or any of the 99% of FIA staff who don't do something so important I could understand. But the FIA have a well earnt reputation for being cynical and less than open and honest, on occasion. I find it within the realms of possibility that he has, for example, been pushing hard for safety measures Todt may not be interested in, or maybe Todt wants to reduce the safety budget and hire someone cheaper. In such cases I think the GPDA at least should know the score. But the FIA should recognise many fans don't trust them and will assume the worst. It's their call if they want to address that, but by not doing they reinforce a negative image of themselves and achieve nothing positive.

Hartstein has gone public, which suggests he at least believes it's nothing to do with incompetence or failings on his part. But if it is we know the FIA are easily petty enough to reveal the fact.

_________________Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?-Epicurus

Its been awhile since the announcement was made. Perhaps he HAS been seeking the answer privately. Perhaps he's been let go because he was making a big stink about a serious issue? I'll wait to hear what the situation is before judging.

Hence I feel we have a right to know what's going on.

Nope. We don't. Gary does.

This... we may want to know why &, I must say I do, but no one but Gary deserves to know why. The fact that he hasn't been given a reason is rather curious. Does anyone know what employment laws he would come under, if any, especially as he is probably on a contract which is a totally different area than straight employee/employer. Regardless, hitting twitter to bitch & complain isn't exactly a wise decision especially if he wants to keep his job. It may get enough F1 fans to kick up a stink that he ends up finding out why but, if I was his boss & he did that to me, I wouldn't be offering him his job back. Mind you, if I was his boss, I would have already told him why I had made my decision. That's only fair, after all.

Just out of interest, did Hartsteins "Firing" come before or after the comments made by Webber I think about more drug tests in F1?

About 10 days after I think.

_________________Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?-Epicurus

I do remember Gary Hartstein making a racially offensive remark on twitter about a politician here in America. He called Senator Marco Rubio a "cholo." I have no idea if that had anything to do with it, but I do remember being surprised when I saw the tweet. I tweeted him back and he basically told me to lighten up.

Perhaps someone else was more offended than I was and complained? Or perhaps this wasn't the first time he's made a remark a like that? I realize this is speculation, but its the first thing that came to my mind.

I do remember Gary Hartstein making a racially offensive remark on twitter about a politician here in America. He called Senator Marco Rubio a "cholo." I have no idea if that had anything to do with it, but I do remember being surprised when I saw the tweet. I tweeted him back and he basically told me to lighten up.

Perhaps someone else was more offended than I was and complained? Or perhaps this wasn't the first time he's made a remark a like that? I realize this is speculation, but its the first thing that came to my mind.

Never heard about that. Total speculation again, but combined with his Twitter reaction to being laid off, it could be that he's a bit of a loose cannon not suited to a staid instution like the FIA. Although they don't seem t omind a fascist whoremonger.

_________________Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?-Epicurus

I do remember Gary Hartstein making a racially offensive remark on twitter about a politician here in America. He called Senator Marco Rubio a "cholo." I have no idea if that had anything to do with it, but I do remember being surprised when I saw the tweet. I tweeted him back and he basically told me to lighten up.

Perhaps someone else was more offended than I was and complained? Or perhaps this wasn't the first time he's made a remark a like that? I realize this is speculation, but its the first thing that came to my mind.

Never heard about that. Total speculation again, but combined with his Twitter reaction to being laid off, it could be that he's a bit of a loose cannon not suited to a staid instution like the FIA. Although they don't seem t omind a fascist whoremonger.

He has been working in F1 for 15 years, one would think they would have fired him long ago if there were any behavioural concerns.

_________________Apparently religious people didn't like my signature, hah! Don't read it if you are so offended by it.

When one person suffers from a delusion it is called insanity. When many people suffer from a delusion it is called religion. - Robert Pirsig